Prinzipien der rationalen Antibiotikatherapie

Induction of antibiotic resistance, which can occur following the administration of a single antibiotic dose, along with the lack of development of new antibiotics, necessitate a cautious use of currently available antibiotics. This approach is termed rational antibiotic therapy, which is particularly important in outpatient care, the setting in which the vast majority of antibiotics in medicine are prescribed. This article describes a case to present the 4C principles of a rational antibiotic therapy: correct (1) indications, (2) selection and form of application, (3) dosage as well as (4) duration. In ambiguous situations without known risk factors, antibiotics should not be used and replaced by a follow-up consultation scheduled at short notice. In the event of a non-bacterial infection, the initiated empirical antibiotic therapy should be stopped immediately. Antibiotics that are more critical for the induction of antibiotic resistance, such as cephalosporins and azithromycin, should be used only in a targeted way.